


The Intrepid Crow

by Asparagus



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Dom/sub Undertones, M/M, Possessive Behavior
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:09:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29596035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asparagus/pseuds/Asparagus
Summary: Hinata turns his keen observational skills to Kageyama’s wellbeing which leads to some interesting results.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 9
Kudos: 89





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Future fic where the characters are on the same volleyball teams but they’re all at university instead of high school. 
> 
> A big thank you to my Beta reader, Bakageyama_9!

Hinata doesn’t pay much heed to the whole status thing anymore.

It’s not like his high school days when that was all anyone ever talked about. Yeah, it was tough at first, being an omega in volleyball; a sport where power and height are celebrated: attributes he lacks. But he’s proven time and again that his status won’t get in the way of winning. If anything, his speed, agility, and small stature enable him to be an effective decoy during matches _and_ to steer clear of alpha players during their inevitable pissing contests. Insulting jabs from Tsukishima aside, he stopped being self-conscious over his status after the second he scored the winning point in their first match. No one treats him like a weak, needy, emotional omega when he’s sailing through the air and striking the ball hard in the opponent’s court. 

Even Kageyama, who he still butts heads with every so often - though they’ve come a long way since first year - doesn’t treat him differently because of his status. Actually, it’s himself who has to remind dense Kageyama that HELLO, omega here (whilst waving his arms in protest) – there’s no need to be so forceful – quit it with the careless manhandling, already.

The point is that Hinata, as an omega, has been preoccupied with proving himself for most of his life. So, it never even _occurs_ to him that alphas, who he assumes have everything (overconfidence, popularity, _height_ , a say in their own destiny) might have problems too. 

Until now, that is. 

It’s three weeks into their second year of university, and so far, Kageyama has been…strange. 

Firstly, there’s his disposition. If Kageyama’s default temper is hot, then this year it’s positively _volcanic_. 

He returns from the academic break taller, bossier, and crankier than ever. It shows in the viciousness of his serves and the bite of his tone when Hinata begs for one too many tosses. The strain of holding himself back from striking Tsukishima, who still can’t resist poking at him, is evident in the tense shoulders, tight jaw and jerky movements. He always stalks away to everyone’s relief and much collective sighing. But the anger in his voice when he berates their teammates is real. The players start to give Kageyama a wider birth rather than risk his temper. Even Tsukishima begins to tread more cautiously around him. Hinata watches all this happen with a twisting sensation in his belly, which it takes him a while to identify as helplessness. It’s as if the dial on Kageyama’s less favourable alpha qualities has been turned up to max and Hinata, normally glued to his side, learns to keep his distance. 

That’s not to mention the fishy behaviour, starting with his absence during lunch breaks. A time he and Hinata would ordinarily practice alone together. Sometimes he appears later with bruises and busted knuckles. Odd, since Kageyama is normally so fastidious about his precious setter’s hands. When Hinata questions him Kageyama abruptly changes the subject, eyes darting around shiftily. One thing that hasn’t changed: Kageyama is still a terrible liar. 

Hinata contemplates all this as he rushes to practice one morning after waking up late - past the huge cafeteria with glass floor to ceiling windows, past the immense lecture halls, past the grassy green square littered with trees, signposts, and benches that marks the centre of campus. He barely registers the changing scenery as he runs, his mind on Kageyama. 

He’s distracted throughout practice which gets him yelled at a total of seven times (“concentrate, idiot!”). And when he’s running around after balls at the end, he somehow trips over a bottle left on the floor and flies into Kageyama’s back. 

“Hinata, you klutz!” Kageyama turns to snarl down at him. “Watch where you’re going, you little shit.”

“S-s-sorry!” Hinata wheezes. 

“He’s not the one who needs to watch it,” Tsukishima’s low voice drawls over Hinata’s head. 

Hinata yelps and hides behind Kageyama, using his body as a shield. There’s no way he’s getting in the middle of these two trying to out-alpha each other when tempers are high. Tsukishima ignores him, directing his haughty stare at Kageyama. 

Hinata wonders if Tsukishima has a death wish today. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Kageyama retorts.

Tsukishima leans forward, towering over them. “Don’t think I don’t know of your little incident earlier,” he says, his tone deceptively pleasant. “At this rate, you’re going to sabotage our chances in the tournament this year.”

“Huh?” Hinata says. “What’s he talking about, Kageyama?” 

When Kageyama refuses to look at him, Hinata bristles in indignation. 

“Answer him.” Tsukishima says, looking increasingly annoyed.

Kageyama remains silent, which disconcerts Hinata more than his shouting. 

The others, scattered across the gym, stop what they’re doing to look at the three of them. 

The atmosphere thickens with tension. 

“Tsukki?” Yamaguchi intervenes, his voice nervous. “What’s going on?”

“The King here has been given a final warning,” Tsukishima announces, glancing at Yamaguchi. “One more fight and he’s off the team.”

Hinata’s yell of, “WHAT!” is drowned in the same horrified shout from Tanaka and Nishinoya. He looks over at Daichi for confirmation but the grim expression on the man’s face tells Hinata that this is no joke. 

“This doesn’t just concern you anymore,” Tsukishima lectures, turning back to Kageyama. “One wrong step and-“

“Shut up!” Kageyama snaps, taking a step forward before halting. “Like I would let that happen.”

“Oh? Because you have such excellent self-control?” Tsukishima scoffs. 

Hinata grips the ball in his hands, chest tightening, feeling caught in the net of Kageyama’s frustration. 

“Okay, that’s enough,” Daichi says. Turning to address them all, he admits, “It’s true that Kageyama has been in one too many fights and Takeda-sensei felt he had no choice but to issue the warning. The reputation of the team is at stake.” He clears his throat. “But we should be supporting Kageyama.” As if to demonstrate this, he claps a hand on Kageyama’s shoulder and turns to face him. “I’m here if you need to talk.”

“Me too,” Sugawara chirps, apparently immune to any atmospheric changes. 

“That’s right!” Tanaka declares, puffing up his chest and wielding a thumbs up at Kageyama. “You can always come to your dependable senpai for advice! We’ll be here for you in your moment of need!”

“Dependable?” Nishinoya snickers. 

Kageyama glares down at the floor, looking extremely uncomfortable. 

“That’ll be all for this morning,” Daichi calls out with finality. “Tsukishima, Yamaguchi, you’re on clean up duty.”

Everyone springs into action, busy avoiding Kageyama, except for Hinata. Hinata catches a glimpse of a conflicted expression on Kageyama’s face before he marches away. Hinata tries to think of something to say, something to call out after him, but for once he’s speechless. Their number one setter could be evicted from the team. The concept is wrong somehow, like preparing to lose a limb.

“You okay, Hinata?” Yamaguchi asks, looking at him with concern. 

Hinata shrugs. He doesn’t want to admit that he was none the wiser about the fighting, or the warning. Why hasn’t Kageyama mentioned any of this? There’s been an ample number of opportunities to talk since the start of the academic year. They deal with problems together, albeit after screaming insults and the occasional tantrum, but it works for them. He wonders if his teammates have known all along, if Hinata is the only one in the dark. His mind can’t help but linger on the thought that it’s because of his status, the crucial thing that sets him apart from the others. Rationally, he knows the team aren’t prejudiced like that, but these things can be subtle or unconscious. Even the most conscientious of alphas talk down to or disregard omegas at times. His fists clench in indignation at the idea that there might have been a collective decision to keep him uninformed. 

Daichi appears like an embodiment of his thoughts and says quietly, so that the others don’t overhear whilst Yamaguchi slouches away, “Hinata, has Kageyama spoken to you about this?”

“No,” Hinata says sullenly. “Why does Kageyama keep fighting?”

Daichi grimaces. “He has a short fuse at the moment. You’ll have to be…careful around him.”

“Careful?”

“I know you two like to wind each other up. But try not to get on Kageyama’s bad side. He may hurt you.”

“Kageyama would never-!”

“I know he wouldn’t mean too. But his self-control isn’t good at the moment. So just give him some space, okay?”

“Okay,” Hinata agrees, reluctantly. 

~~~~~~

So Kageyama wants to fight. 

Presumably with people who possess greater muscle mass than Hinata. 

Kageyama, alpha and star setter. Kageyama, with his perfect serve, unwavering confidence, and infuriating height. Kageyama, who has always appeared invincible, unreachable even. Hinata had set out to prove himself to Kageyama from the start; first to earn his tosses, then to earn his trust, his alliance and more recently… well, he thought they understood each other. But clearly, he’s been wrong this whole time. There must be something integral to Kageyama – his alpha-ness, maybe – that Hinata isn’t privy to and can’t seem to comprehend. 

He wonders if he should feel grateful that Kageyama clearly made a decision at some point to redirect his aggressive urges elsewhere. Instead, he’s unhappy at being cut off from a part of Kageyama’s life now. The thing that puzzles Hinata the most is the thought of Kageyama dedicating his incredible focus to something outside of volleyball. As far as he knows, Kageyama doesn’t even _have_ friends beyond the team. He spends all his non-volleyball time performing unavoidable basic functions such as eating and sleeping; rarely studying - and hanging out with Hinata. If he doesn’t have time for friends, when does he find time to make enemies? 

Hinata has a short reprieve between lectures this afternoon so he wanders on foot through campus. The distinctive scent of pine pervades the forested paths between large grey blocks of buildings. He reaches the green square, where he’s often guaranteed to see a group of people he knows sitting in circle formation on the grass. It’s a bright day, and frequent gusts of wind send leaves and petals whirling through the cool air. 

There are students loitering in the pleasant weather but no one he recognises. He sits with a huff on a wooden bench, kicks his legs out in frustration and looks up at the blue sky covered in snaky lines of white cloud. 

The serene moment passes when his view is blocked by a tall form, casting Hinata in shadow. Tsukishima, standing in his usual slouch, hands in the sleeve pocket of his hoodie, headphones dangling from round his neck. What’s unusual is that Yamaguchi is nowhere in sight, and that Tsukishima is approaching Hinata outside of practice. 

“Um, hi,” Hinata says, sitting up. 

“No king to keep you company?” Tsukishima says.

Hinata would normally leap to Kageyama’s defence at the nickname, but he’s too distracted today. 

He recoils when Tsukishima sits down next to him. 

Tsukishima slouches with his elbows balanced on his knees, looking out at the students scattered around them. 

“He’s got lectures all afternoon,” Hinata says, inching away. 

“Oh? Then why did I just see him slinking behind the gym?”

Gasping, Hinata jumps up. “Fighting? Can’t you do something, Tsukishima!” he growls. Even if Hinata rushes over there now, an omega breaking up a confrontation between alphas is about as effective as a puppy in a showdown between wolves. 

Tsukishima snorts. “Somehow I doubt he’ll appreciate me stepping in. Besides, he needs to grow up and sort out his own problems.”

“But-!”

“But you know who _should_ be helping him, don’t you?” Tsukishima turns to stare at him. 

“Me?” Hinata squawks. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Isn’t it your job to, ahem, relieve some of that tension he’s carrying around?”

“W-what are you impl-”

“It’s obvious what I’m implying. Please don’t make me spell it out for you.”

“I don’t know what to do!” The frustration of the situation wells up inside him like an overfilled water balloon waiting to burst. He looks up at Tsukishima, eyes wide in the desperate need to help Kageyama and ultimately the whole volleyball team. 

Tsukishima gives a ridiculously long-suffering sigh and mutters what sounds suspiciously like a Buddhist prayer. 

“Very well. I’ll give you some much-needed advice. But on one condition.”

Hinata nods frantically enough that his neck hurts. 

“Once this is done, I don’t want to hear any whining about Kageyama, and I _definitely_ don’t want any details.”

Hinata nods with more reluctance this time, rubbing his aching neck. 

“Tell me what you know,” Tsukishima starts, with obvious low expectations, going on the derision in his voice, “- if anything - about alphas and omegas. We’ll leave betas out of it for the moment, because I don’t want to risk overloading your brain.” 

Hinata’s face heats with embarrassment, his eyes darting everywhere but at Tsukishima. Tsukishima is correct in his assumption that Hinata knows extraordinarily little. Not only that, but Hinata finds it awkward discussing this with Tsukishima, who is probably one of the most intimidating alphas he knows. 

Tsukishima heaves another sigh at the telling silence. “We’ll do this another way.” He pauses, thinking, and then says, “As much as it pains me to admit, there’s a reason why omegas exist.”

“Hey!”

“Listen. In every population there needs to be a social balance for the sake of harmony. We can’t have a society of alphas because we’d spend all our time fighting. We can’t have a society of omegas, because no one would lead, and nothing would ever get done.”

Hinata huffs but doesn’t disagree. 

“I hate to say it, but alphas tend to be driven by testosterone rather than…rationality,” Tsukishima says with a grimace. “It can be difficult for us to control the urge to…assert dominance.” Tsukishima is definitely avoiding looking at him now.

“Uh…”

“On the other hand, omegas tend to be more placid”– he raises a hand when Hinata starts to protest-“ _generally_ , omegas are calming to be around. They release pheromones that bring down the testosterone level, especially when they’re…in a good mood.” 

Hinata shifts uneasily, biting his lip. “What are you trying to say?”

“Just being in the same room as an omega is good, if there aren’t a load of alphas around,” Tsukishima says, thoughtfully, making Hinata wonder if he’s talking from experience. “But the most effective way to calm an alpha down is… physical contact.”

“So, what you’re saying is that…touching Kageyama…will make him happy?” Hinata says. 

Tsukishima smirks. “Not necessarily. But, depending on who’s doing the touching, it might relax him.”

“So, I should…what - hold his hand, or something?” Hinata gulps, reminded of the time he held Natsu’s pet hamster and kept flinching out of the fear that it would embed its huge teeth into the soft flesh of his hand. Sadly, the innocent hamster was dropped a total of three times before Natsu banned him from holding it. 

“I don’t think it matters what form it takes, as long as it involves some kind of contact.”

“Really?” Hinata says doubtfully, recalling the many occasions Kageyama has grabbed him by the arm or hair; picked him up or held him like a ragdoll and not seemed any calmer afterwards. Then again, Kageyama’s default mood is grumpy at best and Hinata’s observational skills are typically directed at matches, not Kageyama’s responses to him or other omegas, so maybe he just hasn’t noticed. 

Come to think of it, the only other omega involved with the team is Yachi. He tries to imagine Yachi holding Kageyama’s hand and feels…distinctly uncomfortable. What if Kageyama starts touching Yachi in order to…feel better? 

Hinata is deep in thought when he hears, “don’t hurt yourself thinking about it,” as a parting gift before Tsukishima leaves, job done. 

Is this really what it will take to get Kageyama to chill out? 

He imagines Kageyama in a Buddha-like state of serenity after holding Hinata’s hand for a hundred hours. No more fights, his attention one hundred percent on Hinata. And volleyball. As it should be. 

Hinata steels himself. 

If a bit of handholding is what Kageyama needs, then…

…he’s willing to make that sacrifice. 

~~~~~~

Hinata ponders Tsukishima’s words long after he strides away. 

Needless to say, he pays scant attention during his afternoon lectures. 

When the last lecture _finally_ ends, he hovers around the exit, feeling at a loss since they don’t have practice that evening. Kageyama is probably practicing with a vengeance now. It’s how he usually lets off steam. In fact, volleyball is probably the only way Kageyama knows to express himself. 

Hinata can help in that department, at least. 

Encouraged, instead of returning to his dorm, he runs a loop of campus to track Kageyama down. If he’s going to make use of his biology to help Kageyama, then he needs to gather more data first. He needs to assess the risk that Kageyama will kill him for trying. 

In a rare feat of generosity, he decides to grab meat buns on the way. One for himself as a priority, and the other as a sort of peace offering for Kageyama.

Hinata finds him in a secluded spot behind the volleyball gym, throwing a ball at the wall. His expression is shuttered. 

If it weren’t for the black aura surrounding Kageyama, enhanced by the evening shadows, this would be a peaceful place. It’s a narrow area between the gym and the red brick wall that marks the campus boundary. There’s a long strip of grass, a few flowering white trees, and a stone bench. A mild breeze plays lazily with the hanging branches, and the area is bathed in an orange glow from the diminishing sun. 

Hinata’s approach is loud in this quiet part of campus and Kageyama’s head jerks up to glare at him.

Before Kageyama can bark at him to go away, Hinata waves the meat buns around. “I come bearing food!”

He withholds the impulse to launch a meat bun at Kageyama’s head. Instead, he rushes up to Kageyama but halts before getting _too_ close. 

“What’s this for?” Kageyama grumbles, closing the gap. He takes his meat bun and regards it sceptically. 

“It’s for you,” Hinata says lightly. 

“What’s wrong with it?”

Hinata takes a huge bite of his own. “Gipth it back ith you don’ wan’ dib.” 

Kageyama is still frowning. “You don’t owe me one. You’re ahead at the moment.” 

Hinata puffs up with pride. He won the previous two races to the gym. “So what? I’m feeling generous today.”

“I don’t want a… pity meat bun.”

“Are you seriously turning it down?!”

“…No.” He holds the meat bun up out of Hinata’s reach. 

Hinata rolls his eyes. 

He sits on the stone floor and leans back against the wall, and after a moment (still frowning at the offending item) Kageyama joins him, plonking himself a metre away. 

Hinata occasionally sneaks side glances at him. Kageyama’s head is lowered; the other is clearly deep in thought as he chews. His hair is darker than ever and falls down into his face, shielding his eyes. Hinata has the strange urge to lean over and touch it, but resists. He wonders, for maybe the hundredth time that day, what’s going on inside his friend’s head. 

They munch in comfortable silence until nothing is left. 

It’s Kageyama who breaks the silence. He suggests they work on Hinata’s receive. 

Hinata heads back to his dorm after two hours of gruelling practice. There were no opportunities to touch Kageyama (other than being caught in a headlock after teasing him for being slow). But, Hinata has learnt that Kageyama can be placated with at least two things: 

Volleyball, and food.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata continues to see how far he can push Kageyama in his "touch the alpha" experiment.

Hinata doesn’t have much success the following day, either. 

He and Kageyama see each other for the ritual race to the gym but they’re paired off with other teammates during practice. Hinata is partnered with an increasingly exasperated Yamaguchi when he keeps looking over at Kageyama, not paying attention to the ball. 

They don’t share any lectures that day, and he doesn’t see Kageyama at lunchtime. Not even behind the gym, where Hinata peeks hoping to catch one of the alleged fights in action. He still can’t believe this is really happening. 

As he’s not one to give up at a challenge, Hinata resolves to create situations where he can touch Kageyama (in a way that is not creepy, but is for his wellbeing).

They’re forbidden from each other’s student halls. The dormitories are assigned by status and there are rules prohibiting alphas from entering the omega buildings and vice versa. Plus, Kageyama might not accept an invitation to hang out in Hinata’s room. He knows they make good volleyball partners, but friends…? 

Hinata normally has no problem making and identifying friends. But Kageyama is different from any friends he’s made in the past. 

At times, they have a profound, visceral understanding that reaches beyond words, like when they’re perfectly in sync on the volleyball court. At other times, the impenetrable walls that even Hinata can’t breach go up. The worst of these scenarios is when Kageyama shuts down completely, enters unhappy caveman mode; unable or unwilling to vocalise. 

Hinata remembers with unease that Kageyama didn’t have a great time in school when he was younger. As Tsukishima reminds them daily, it’s where Kageyama earned his title as ‘King of the Court’ for the tyrannical way he ruled his teammates. Hinata tries to imagine himself in Kageyama’s situation, to be shunned by his teammates and benched from the game. The thought alone makes him shout out in protest. 

But it’s different now. Now Kageyama has the team, and Hinata. But sometimes it’s like he isn’t aware of that. Sometimes, it’s like Kageyama versus the world. 

He remembers Kageyama’s words, soon after they met, as clear as day. _“I wish I could receive, toss, and spike, all by myself”_. 

Kageyama doesn’t trust anyone else to be there for him.

Hinata needs to make him aware. 

That he’s not alone. 

~~~~~~

Hinata finds a lot of things scary. 

Kageyama’s fake smile is enough to put anyone on edge. 

The force of Tsukishima’s early morning scowl makes Hinata skirt around him like the mouse that learns to steer clear of the murderous cat that shares its living space. 

Oikawa’s thinly veiled threats to have the Karasuno volleyball team crushed into a million tiny pieces whenever he sees them compels Hinata into hiding behind the nearest large object, human or otherwise. 

Hinata copes with these situations by creating a commotion through shouting and wailing. Suffering in silence is not an adage he understands on any level. Everyone on the team is used to this behaviour and accepts it with fond resignation. 

One day he’s struck with an ingenious idea.

He’s been thinking a lot about hand holding since his talk with Tsukishima, which explains why the notion comes to him at the most opportune moment. 

He’s wandering into the club room before practice, Kageyama close behind him, when Tanaka leaps out into his face from the shadows to frighten him. 

Hinata shrieks in genuine terror and grabs the first thing that pops into his head: Kageyama’s hand. 

Tanaka howls with laughter, whilst Kageyama grumbles and tries to shake Hinata off. 

“Oi!” Kageyama says. “Let go.”

Hinata stares up at Kageyama in wonder - he’s holding Kageyama’s hand! Though it doesn’t seem to be appreciated and he reluctantly acquiesces when Kageyama appears increasingly homicidal.

“Mature,” Tsukishima says sarcastically at Tanaka, who is rolling around on the floor clutching his stomach. But he surveys Hinata thoughtfully, one eyebrow raised. 

Hinata shrugs, rubbing his sore hand that Kageyama squeezed hard to make him let go. 

It’s not long before he’s graced with an opportunity to test this method again. The team plans a scary movie night at the cinema in the city, for the following weekend.

Yamaguchi organises this one, wringing his hands as he says, “guess it’s my turn...” He directs several odd glances at Tsukishima, who totally disregards them. 

Hinata is surprised and relieved when Kageyama says he’s going as well. 

They sit together on the bus and participate in the rowdy discussion on the ride there, and it’s like things are normal. 

When Yamaguchi is busy collecting their tickets, Hinata sticks close to Kageyama’s side in the foyer of the cinema. He looks at everyone suspiciously, wary of someone else trying to take his seat beside Kageyama. But it seems everyone is still maintaining their distance from Kageyama, which works in his favour.

The movie is about a bunch of American adolescents who think it’s a good idea to take a fun trip into a mountain range full of murderers and then seem surprised when one by one, they’re picked off and brutally slaughtered. 

Hinata is terrified. 

In fact, gearing himself up for grabbing Kageyama’s hand is a thankful distraction. 

He attempts it half an hour into the movie, when one of the female characters is too busy applying makeup in the reflection of a car window to notice the sounds of what is obviously an axe murderer sneaking up behind her. 

Hinata grabs Kageyama’s hand in anticipation. 

Luckily, even Kageyama isn’t rude enough to start yelling in the cinema. Instead, he uses his free hand to pry Hinata’s hand from his. 

“Stop that,” Kageyama mutters, hiding his hands in his pockets. 

As if that will put Hinata off. 

Unfortunately for Kageyama, he has to remove his hands to access the popcorn on his lap (and to prevent Hinata from stealing said popcorn). 

Ten minutes later, it happens again. 

The next victim is unknowingly about to die in a way that is gruesome, messy, and wholly unnecessary. 

When the murderer appears at the scene, grinning, Hinata launches himself at Kageyama’s hand and hides his face in his shoulder. The petrifying image of the murderer’s face is burned into his mind. 

“Oh, for the love of…” Kageyama grumbles, extracting himself, again. “What’s wrong with you?” 

“Nothing,” Hinata whispers.

“Quit acting weird.”

“I’m not!”

“Shh!” someone hisses behind them. 

The third time, Hinata wails when the lady on the screen is decapitated and seizes Kageyama’s hand. 

Kageyama doesn’t appear to notice this time. He grips back just as hard, clearly terrified as well. 

After a moment, Kageyama relaxes. 

He glances down at Hinata and then sighs, apparently resigned. 

He doesn’t remove his hand. 

~~~~~

Hinata isn’t sure the hand holding thing is such a good long-term solution. At first, he’s able to use genuine excuses for being afraid, but when nothing happens for a while, he has to make things up. So far, he’s been frightened by tall flights of stairs; a ‘ghost’ in Tanaka’s locker that turned out to be a dusty cobweb; a rather ugly spiky plant in the cafeteria; one giant, furry bumblebee (which, to be fair, had followed him around campus for _ages_ , buzzing in his ear like a tiny motor); and puddles. 

Kageyama seems to think he’s developed some sort of nervous disorder, unable to cope with the world around him, and scared of his own shadow. To Kageyama’s credit, he does grip Hinata’s hand back on these occasions, whilst glaring intently at anyone who dares give them funny looks. Hinata doesn’t think the hand holding is having a positive impact on Kageyama’s moods, though. 

An idea comes to him one afternoon in the form of a woman carrying a small toddler on her back… a piggyback ride. That could be…physically close. 

Kageyama is dozing beside him on the green square. They both shared ambitious plans to study outside, but the warmth from the sun weighs down on them until they’re sprawled horizontally in the grass. 

Not one to pass up a rare opportunity, Hinata musters up some energy.

He takes a deep breath and points at the woman and child. “That looks fun!” 

Kageyama glances over from where he’s lying on his back, black jacket rolled into a pillow beneath his head. 

“Yeah…” he says, yawning. 

“I wanna do that!” 

“Sure, whatever.” He closes his eyes in a clear dismissal. 

“Carry me!” 

“What?” Kageyama opens his eyes to give him a perplexed scowl. “No fucking way.” 

Hinata pouts. “What will it take to get a piggyback ride out of you?”

“Why do you want to be carried?”

“I told you! It’ll be fun.”

“…Fifteen meat buns.”

“What!”

“Take it or leave it.”

Hinata swallows his rage at the injustice and reminds himself of his cause. Through gritted teeth, he says, “fine.”

Kageyama sits up, raising his eyebrows. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Hinata can’t keep the painful wince off his face. 

Kageyama stares, like he can’t believe how insane or stupid Hinata is. 

Hinata huffs. “How long will you carry me for? I’m not giving you that many for nothing.”

“Five minutes.”

Hinata considers this. Is five minutes enough time for the physical contact thing to work? Surely it must be a more effective tactic than the hand holding, which, apart from that fluke in the cinema, hasn’t endured for more than a few seconds at a time. 

He nods. “Okay.”

“You sure about this?” Kageyama asks, standing and stretching his arms above his head. Hinata uses the opportunity to admire how much taller than him Kageyama is before he shakes himself out of the thought. 

“Yeah. Let’s do it!”

“Fine. It’s your money, after all.” Kageyama has an annoying smirk on his face that makes Hinata want to punch him. They gather up their things and Hinata attaches both their bags to himself, freeing up Kageyama to carry him. Kageyama turns away and leans down, looking back at Hinata, waiting for him to climb on. 

Hinata takes a running leap onto his back, hoping to unbalance him, but Kageyama remains steady and just grips Hinata’s thighs as he straightens. Hinata wraps his arms around Kageyama’s neck. 

“Where to?” Kageyama says. 

“I guess…to the meat bun stand,” Hinata says, resigned.

Kageyama begins to move, and Hinata is distracted by the dark hair on the nape of his neck. He can’t resist sticking his nose into Kageyama’s neck and inhaling that comforting scent that makes him melt into relaxation; he releases a soft sigh. He’ll never admit it, but Kageyama has the best scent. It never fails to make him feel inexplicably safe and secure. Together with the slow rocking motion, the heat of Kageyama’s back, the warmth of the sun, and the buzzing of insects, his limbs become heavy with drowsiness.

“Well?” Kageyama says after a moment, as they make their way between buildings, ignoring the bizarre looks from other students. “Is it as ‘fun’ as you imagined?”

“Mmm.” Hinata finds himself forming a silly smile as he rests his head on Kageyama’s shoulder. 

“Oi. You awake back there?”

Hinata sighs, content. 

Kageyama purposefully shifts his shoulders to dislodge him. “Don’t pass out on me.”

“K,” Hinata says, feeling compliant. His eyes droop closed.

“Weirdo,” Kageyama mutters. 

Hinata is in heaven and doesn’t respond. 

~~~~~~

Later that day, Hinata pulls Tsukishima round the back of the bike shed near the gym, looking undoubtedly shifty. 

“I’m completely broke because of you,” he whines. 

Tsukishima crosses his arms, thoroughly unimpressed. 

“I have to come up with stupid reasons to touch Kageyama!” Hinata wails, before launching into a description of what happened earlier (he omits the fact that the latest plan backfired; that all it succeeded in producing was an embarrassingly cuddly Hinata). 

Tsukishima snickers. “Is that the going rate around here? What will he do for fifty meat buns, I wonder?”

“Please pay for some of these meat buns! It’s too much!”

“Urgh, fine,” Tsukishima says with reluctance. 

Hinata sighs in relief. 

“Well? What cunning plan do you have next?”

“I don’t know,” Hinata grumbles. “Kageyama already knows something weird is going on.” 

“Please, as if the king has enough brain cells to put two and two together.”

“That’s mean, Tsukishima!”

Tsukishima turns to go, but pauses to say, “it’s the training camp this weekend. I’m sure there will be opportunities to…develop this further.”

“Further?! I haven’t developed anything!” Hinata says despondently. “Except Kageyama now thinks I’m deranged.” For some reason, he doesn’t want Tsukishima to leave right now. Maybe because he’s the only one Hinata can vent his frustrations to about the Kageyama situation. Also, if he has Tsukishima’s backing, this can’t be a totally stupid endeavour. 

Tsukishima snorts. “Whatever you’re doing, it seems to be having some effect.”

“Really?” Hinata looks up at him with shining, hopeful eyes. “What gives you that idea?”

“He hasn’t tried to punch me this week.”

“Yeah, not for the lack of you trying to rile him up…” Hinata mutters. 

“What can I say? His anger management issues are so easy to provoke.”

“Not helping!”

~~~~~~

A storm hits the very instant they arrive at the reclusive training camp in the hills. 

All practice matches are cancelled. 

This verdict is met with a cry of outrage from the more rambunctious members of the Karasuno team, whilst others sit shivering and listening to the howling gale and rain outside. They’re in the communal sleeping area of the draughty building, having arrived an hour ago as night fell and since sat around waiting to hear whether they’d be heading back or not. 

“And the driver refuses to take us back tonight,” Takeda informs them. “Apparently, the hill roads are pretty treacherous in this wind.”

“What about the other teams?” Nishinoya asks.

“Nekoma turned back when the storm appeared, and the others saw the weather warning just before they left,” Tanaka tells them solemnly. “I’m afraid we’re the only ones here.” 

Hinata has heard this already from texting Kenma on the road. He picks at his phone morosely. He and Kageyama have been sitting on their bags, waiting for the verdict and watching the storm unfold through the window. Thin silver branches of lighting shoot across dark rolling clouds as thunder rumbles ominously in the far distance. 

Kageyama side eyes him. “You okay?”

Hinata looks up at him curiously. 

“You know…with the storm?”

“Er, yeah. It’s fine,” Hinata says weakly. He’s unable to think up a plausible reason to explain why he’s distressed by puddles but unaffected by a raging thunderstorm. 

Kageyama scrutinises him. 

Hinata studies him back. 

Kageyama is just wearing his black Karasuno jacket over his white t-shirt and black shorts, but Hinata can’t help but notice how striking he looks. The blue of his eyes is distinct under his dark hair as he regards Hinata, who finds his gaze dropping to linger on those broad shoulders, and then shifts his eyes away before he’s caught. He hasn’t failed to notice that Kageyama is really good looking. Hinata shoves away this impression from his mind, as he’s trained himself to do when having these disturbing thoughts around Kageyama. 

He forces himself to focus on the words coming out of Kageyama’s mouth. 

“Do you want to…”

“Huh?”

Kageyama’s hand twitches towards Hinata and his brows furrow before he shrugs and looks away. “Never mind.”

Before Hinata can press him, they’re summoned to dinner. Everyone rushes to the canteen, hungry after the long journey and from waiting around in the cold, unheated room. 

It’s when they’re preparing their futons for the night that Hinata finds himself in a predicament. He’s returning from the bathroom when he stops in the doorway to see a few people standing around the futon he had laid out next to Kageyama’s. They look up at him when he steps into the room.

“What’s going on?” he says. 

“I’m sorry, Hinata,” Yamaguchi says, wincing at him. “There’s been a bit of an accident.”

Hinata’s eyes widen. 

“Not _that_ kind of accident,” Tanaka says, laughing. “Yamaguchi tripped and spilled a bottle of water on your futon.”

“Yamaguchi…tripped?” Hinata says. 

“Y-yes,” Yamaguchi stutters. “Tsukki’s leg was…in the way, all of a sudden.”

“Well, his legs are ridiculously long,” Sugawara says cheerfully from the back of the room. 

“Y-yes, but normally he has better control of them,” Yamaguchi says, his tone resentful. 

Tsukishima shrugs from where he’s lying on his futon. “Seems like we’re down a futon. You’ll have to share with Kageyama.”

“No way,” Kageyama says immediately. “So it’s a bit damp; deal with it.”

Tsukishima persists, “oh, sure, and when he’s a whining brat with the flu tomorrow, I’m sure you won’t mind dealing with that.”

Affronted – he’s not a small child – Hinata opens his mouth to speak when -

“He’s not going to get flu,” Kageyama snaps. He shoots a menacing look at Hinata, as if daring him to even _think_ about contracting an illness. 

“Well, I guess you can…” Yamaguchi starts, however -

“Leave it, Yamaguchi,” Tsukishima says. “Let them deal with it.”

“But…” he scrutinises Tsukishima’s face and then sighs. “Okay, Tsukki. Sorry, Hinata.”

Hinata picks his way across the room and examines the damp spot in the middle of the futon. He leans down to touch and it…squelches. He looks up at Kageyama pitifully. 

Kageyama has a constipated frown on his face. He turns away with a huff. 

Hinata silently curses Tsukishima as he navigates his way to the very edge of the futon in a strange game of twister to avoid the cold, wet spot. 

The lights go out and the voices die down. It’s unexpectedly cold and he shivers despite being wrapped in his pyjamas and his hoody under the covers. He breathes lightly, unable to get comfortable as the minutes pass, lying tense on the edge. 

He watches the occasional blue lights of phone screens dim until it seems everyone but him is asleep. Tanaka’s snores ricochet around the room, and the shower of heavy rain against the roof is surprisingly loud. 

He turns his attention to Kageyama’s form in the dark, facing away with his back to Hinata. The other boy is lying very still, which means he’s probably still awake. 

Hinata endures another ten minutes in his uncomfortable prone position before he crawls into Kageyama’s futon.

He feels the other boy tense as he curls up against his back, and then relax. 

Kageyama mutters under his breath but doesn’t kick him out. 

Hinata finally dozes off in the comforting warmth created by their shared body heat, his face pressed against Kageyama’s back. He barely registers when Kageyama turns round and throws an arm over his waist, pulling him close and rearranging their bodies into a more comfortable position, Hinata’s head beneath his chin. 

Hinata mumbles Kageyama’s name before falling asleep. 

He wakes early next morning, too hot, with sweat prickling at his lower back. Kageyama is glued to him and breathing softly against his shoulder in sleep, clutching Hinata like his very own, personal teddy bear. Hinata wriggles free and escapes to the bathroom before anyone can accuse them of anything untoward. Nobody else is up yet. 

When he returns, Kageyama is lying awake. Their gazes lock in a charged moment when Hinata steps into the room. 

The moment ends when Nishinoya yawns loudly.

Hinata tries to act normally throughout the morning, but he has a funny flip flopping in his stomach. He can feel Kageyama’s gaze on him as they get ready to depart. The sky is clearing on the journey back, bright white above the cover of trees that line the roads. Hinata avoids Kageyama’s eagle eyed stare by dozing against the window. And the first thing he does when they set foot on campus is bolt to the safety of his dorm room. 

He doesn’t miss the knowing smirk on Tsukishima’s annoying face. 

TBC


End file.
